Episode 19 Part One

Sept-Tour was quiet. Full of misery. Two figures emerged in the hallways, both wearing white shirts and holding hands. In a dark, murky room, Aurora sat on the side of the bed clutching the dying Emily's hand. Sarah held her other. Both were leaking tears. They heard footsteps approaching and raised their heads to see Diana and Matthew back from the past. Aurora felt her heart lift but no joy. Her sister became shocked with

In the front room, Thomas was laid on a bed, eyes being pulled open by Jason whilst Miriam checked him with an eye torch. Marcus sat on a chair pressing more ice against his burnt neck wound. Phoebe sat down as well, worried for Thomas. Sophie's hand was on her shoulder, comforting her.

His eye blinked. Miriam turned to Phoebe and Marcus and nodded. "He's all right,"

Jason helped Thomas sit up slowly. A relieved Phoebe sat down beside her partner and hugged him, leaking tears. He hugged her back. He looked over his shoulder and saw Marcus, half-relieved, half-shaken with horror. It meant something terrible had happened. He winced when he saw Marcus's scorched neck; it was horrifying. It was not the work of Peter Knox.

Nate carrying Margeret and Agatha entered the room, packed and ready. "I will head to Venice and inform the Congregation as soon as possible. I swear he will pay for what he has done,"

"Be careful," warned Jason.

"Good luck," bid Sophie; she came over and hugged her. Nate then handed her their baby and hugged his mother.

"Give Aurora and Sarah my best wishes," With a determined heart, Agatha was escorted out of the front room by Marthe. Ysabeau came inside announcing, "They're back,"

They shared glances. They had waited so long for this. If only circumstances were a lot better.

Emily was silent.

"Please be okay," Aurora begged. "Please,"

But Emily's eyes closed and her hand fell onto the soft covers; she was gone. Aurora's head fell into her hands just as Diana came rushing forward embracing her in a hug. They had just lost their beloved aunt. This was not how their reunion was supposed to be.

Marcus heard her crying. "It's done," he mourned.

Everyone shared heartbroken expressions with one another. Peter Knox had murdered their dear friend Emily Matter. But her death wasn't in vain. She had saved Aurora. And her killer would be brought to justice.

The night passed so miserably. When the next day came, all was silent. Everyone was seated around the large table. No sooner had they all settled, a new vampire came to the chateau. Thomas knew exactly who it was. Gallowglass as he was. Red cut hair and a strong expression. Diana was thrilled to see him. Again. He had assisted her and Matthew in the 16th century. And he was thrilled to see her too.

Thomas stood up and went to hug him. "It's good to see you cousin. It's been so long,"

"Such a pleasure to see you too, cousin," Gallowglass greeted.

They all sat back again at the table and Matthew stood at the far end, to give a speech. "This is the darkest of days," he lamented. "When…Peter Knox…murdered Emily Manner, he killed a woman that was like a mother to my wife. He killed a woman who…was truly beloved by Sarah. He killed a woman who was under protection…of the de Clairmont family," he sent a cold glare at Thomas and Marcus, ignoring the burnt marks on the latter's neck or the depressed state, his eldest was in. Phoebe reached over and laced her fingers with Thomas's hand, and Aurora with Marcus's. They knew that neither of what happened had been their fault. It didn't do much to quell Aurora's heart-breaking guilt. She couldn't look at Diana for a single moment afraid to tell her what had happened. "…and therefore, Peter Knox has brought a terrible loss. He needs to be brought to justice,"

"We need to let him know what's he done to other people. Not just us," said Diana.

"My mum has headed to Venice," announced Nate. "She's told Baldwin to hold a meeting for the Congregation so she'll have a chance to explain what happened before Knox or Gerbert can twist it,"

"They will. They'll portray us as the aggressors," said Ysabeau grimly.

"Or they'll use what's been happening in Oxford with the same ends," Miriam brought up. She looked at Matthew. "A lot's been happening while you've been away in the 16th century,"

"We know," spoke Matthew quickly. He remembered everything Aurora had told Diana when they had reunited temporarily between timelines. "We know about the murders, about the secrets that have been spilling out," he sent a direct glare at Thomas; he knew that they were going to have this talk about him breaking his promise.

"The Press has become quite concerned," said Hamish. "It's caught their attention. They're calling it the Vampire murders,"

"For once the newspapers are right," said Miriam. "The victims were indeed killed by a vampire infected with blood rage,"

"Gerbert will use this against you," warned Ysabeau. "Which means we have to be ready,"

Breakfast was silent. Nothing else was spoken. It was too painful to think of anything else. They only hoped that Agatha could find a way to ensure Peter's punishment by the Congregation. But there were more pressing matters they had to be worried about.

The brothers knew that it was time to talk with Matthew about the secrets Marcus had been kept from. They could sense at the table who was deeply disappointed Matthew was with him for his actions. Phoebe decided to enter the room hoping to ease the situation by introducing herself. "Hello," she addressed Matthew, back-turned in the writing room at the window behind Phillipe's desk. "We haven't really been introduced," she cleared her throat. "I'm… Phoebe Taylor. Thomas and I…"

"I know what you two are to each other," spoke Matthew quickly.

"Right then…" Phoebe felt awkward. She hadn't pictured meeting her partner's father like this. "I wish we could have met under better circumstances,"

"Indeed," he said back quickly again. "There is a lot of matters to be discussed,"

Knowing they had to get this conversation over and done with, Thomas and Marcus entered the room; Matthew was disappointed in them. "As grandmasters, it was your responsibility to make sure Peter Knox didn't get within ten miles of Sept Tour,"

"We had knights. Dozens of them are stationed around this state," Marcus stated. "They were supposed to be Sept Tour's defence,"

Matthew lost his temper. "So, what happened?!"

"Don't you dare blame them!" Phoebe shouted, unafraid of angering his father. "Thomas could have been killed! And Marcus was attacked by a powerful being with fire wings! Look at his scorched neck! How can you blame them for this?!"

"Peter Knox wasn't supposed to get away," Matthew sneered at Thomas.

"I nearly had him but then I saw something he had and I froze…"

Matthew got angrier and angrier by the minute. "You 'froze'? That's all you can say?"

"Don't you dare…speak to him like that," Marcus defended, glaring at him with wet eyes. "You have no right to hold us responsible for what happened to Em. Just like you had no right to keep the truth from me. After all,...there are three blooded raged vampires standing in this room,"

Matthew fumed at being reminded of Thomas's telling his younger brother the truth. "He didn't need to know," he glared at Thomas.

"I did what we should have done years ago," Thomas spoke boldly.

"He didn't have a right to know,"

"Yes I did," Marcus lashed out in tears. "You kept the truth that I was making mutant monsters. It wasn't your decision to make,"

"You were only a carrier,"

"He had no right to be kept in the dark when all these murders started to happen," Thomas pointed out. "We did what we could to keep all our family and friends safe. Sorry that we disappointed you," he scoffed and walked out of the room, Marcus behind him. And then Phoebe.

Aurora was sitting alone on her bed. She had requested to be alone for a long while. Footsteps entered the room.

"Is it true? Did you really go to the temple with Em?" it was Diana; fully distraught.

She couldn't turn around. She had prayed this conversation wouldn't come but it had. "I did," she couldn't lie.

"What were you both doing there?"

"I heard mum calling to me. So did Em. I thought that perhaps we could find answers. I trusted that Em was doing the right thing,"

"You told me you wouldn't leave the chateau,"

Aurora, ashamed of breaking her promise, stood up and faced her sister. "I know. I didn't want us to leave but we thought we'd be all right with all the knights around the estate. But then that fire creature came and I froze when Peter confronted us…"

"You 'froze'?" Diana interrupted, tears of shame leaking. "That's all you can say. You froze and you gave him a chance to attack you both? If you had just been in your right fight mind and fought back, Em would still be alive," The moment she said those words, Aurora felt her heart drop like a stone. Diana realised what she had done. "Aurora…I didn't…"

"It should have been me. I'll just go," her sister walked away from the room, tears dripping down her face. She ran down the hallway. Diana tried to reach out to her but she disappeared.

"What have I done?" she pressed her hands over her mouth in horror. She hadn't been in her right mind and that state had just said something that she regretted so much it was breaking her heart even more.

Aurora retreated to the gardens where she sat on a bench and cried and cried into her hands. As she cried, frost spread across the grass and a shower of snow rained upon the grass turning everything cold and bitter. She heard footsteps approaching in the crunching snow but didn't turn. She didn't want to look at Diana. Or Sarah. Or anyone. She was too full of guilt and self-shame. She felt cold hands touching her shoulders. It was Marcus. "Please leave me alone. I don't want you to see me like this,"

"I don't care if you're crying I'm here with you,"

Aurora pushed him away. "I'm a mess," she tried to walk away but he wouldn't let her.

"That's not true. It's just your guilt telling you things that aren't true,"

"I've lost Em. And now Diana thinks it's my fault,"

"No, she doesn't. I know whatever it is she said to you, she didn't mean it,"

"But she's right though. It's me. And it's all my fault. I didn't fight back and Em paid the price for it!" she turned her back. "She's right to blame me. And Sarah should hate me," she continued to sob at me. Marcus still wouldn't leave her. "Why are you even here? You shouldn't be near me. You could have been killed because of me,"

"No. I could never ever hate you like that," he lamented, shaking his head. He approached her slowly and cupped her cheek turning her face to meet his. "None of this is your fault," he wiped her tears away. "You were just trying to do what you thought was right,"

More footsteps approached the grieving couple and they saw it was Thomas and Phoebe, grief-stricken as well. "I would have done it too," Thomas spoke up, coming over to comfort her. "If I could talk to Argus or Phillipe again, I would have taken it. If talking to them meant gaining information to help our loved ones, I would have done anything to get it,"

Phoebe consoled gently. "Emily chose to save you over herself. You can't blame yourself for the sacrifice she made,"

Nothing they said could make Aurora feel better at all. Marcus embraced her tightly, and she hugged him back. Then Thomas and Phoebe enfolded the two of them in a big group hug, to give her love and comfort, to let her know that they were there for her. A while later, Phoebe and Marcus escorted Aurora to a room to help her recover as the snow outside settled but remained laden all over the chateau. Thomas could hear Nate speaking on the phone. It meant that the Congregation meeting had finished and Peter Knox had been dealt with. Possibly.

You, Sophie and Margeret should leave tonight. Agatha sounded frightened. Knox is dangerous and he's got nothing to lose now. Peter Knox hadn't been killed; he was still on the loose. I don't want you to call me or get in touch. If you do, Knox can use me to get to you and our family. Not until this is all over.

Nate shed a tear. I love you, mum.

I love you too.

Nate and Sophie shared heartfelt expressions with each other; the mother cradling her child. Thomas knew that they needed to hide somewhere. They saw him and decided to tell him the news. "Knox has been expelled from the Congregation," he informed.

"That will not stop him," said Thomas grimly.

"How are you feeling?" asked Sophie.

"A lot better," he said.

"You did everything you could to protect us," comforted Nate. "Nobody could have known,"

"If I hadn't frozen at that moment, he would be dead for what he did to Em. And you guys would still be safe. I have failed you three,"

"No," Sophie patted his shoulder. "You could never fail us,"

"Sept-Tour is no longer safe for you three. It's only a matter of time before Knox returns," the parents nodded in agreement. "I know somewhere where you guys can go to be safe," Thomas was not going to let them leave without ensuring further protection.

"Where?" Nate asked.

Thomas cocked his head to make sure no one was close by. "Not here," he shook his head. "But wherever I send you three, l will have people I know protecting you. I'll arrange everything as soon as I can,"

That's the first chapter of Season 1. I hope you all didn't mind the scene between Diana and Aurora. Things will get better between them. You'll see. I wanted to add that scene to add more tension between the characters. See you all soon